I.O.G.T.—GRAND LODGE SESSION.

Globe, Volume VII, Issue 776, 15 December 1876, Page 3

1.0.G.T. —GRAND LODGE SESSION.

The tea and public meeting held in the Oddfellows’ Hall last evening proved to be notwithstanding the unpropitious nature of the weather—a very decided success. The chair at the public meeting was taken by the P,G W.0.T., Bro J. W. Jago, of Dunedin, who desired in the first place to publicly express his sense of the honor conferred upon him. He felt very sensible of that honor, of the onerous obligations, and the great re oponsibility incurred by him, and trusted to be enabled so to discharge his duties as at the end of his term of office he could hand back his charge in such a way as would be in some measure satisfactory to himself and to the order generally. He had been connected with the temperance movement more than a quarter of a century, and could say that public opinion in its favor was steadily and surely rising. Here, in a far away corner of the world, far from the great kindred institutions, where they might almost have been excused—in the hurry and bustle of progress—from expecting such an enterprise to succeed, it was very encouraging to find that they were sustained by such a meeting as the present ; and the sessions in the Grand Lodge had been marked by great earnestness of purpose. The speaker then gave an epitome of his early experiences in the temperance work, and indicated the struggles which had since been endured. |He concluded a most able and stirring address with an earnest appeal to 'his hearers, who api cared spell-bound by the language they bad the pleasure of listening to. Bro Jago introduced to the audience Bro D. 0, Cameron, the G.W.S., who placed before them statistics, showing how, when about two years since the Grand Lodge was instituted in Christchurch, there were sixty-two lodges ; how, twelve months subsequently their number had increased to 102, and how at the present time there were now 148 in good working order—an increase of 46 during the past twelve months. The increase in membership during the same period was 21334, the total number actually in good standing bein'* 7473. The next speaker was Bro J A D° Adams, P.G.W.C.T., of Dunedin, who was warmly received, and who dwelt more particularly on the “ shouting” system which so generally obtained. He deprecated, too, the course occasionally taken by professing abstainers in countenancing by their presence some of tho drinking customs of society, and iu a humorous conclusion referred to tbe wretched weather he -bad.-' 1 experienced iu each of his visits to Christchurch. The chairman next called upon Bro the RevS.Macfarlane, theG.W, chaplain, who made a very good speech. He referred especially to the weighty power of the Tress, and to the gradual, but no less certain manner in which all prejudices would be destroyed. Bro Boaae of Greymouth, Bro John Lothian of Taieri, Bro Thomas farmth of Waikouaiti,and Bro H. Bennetts, G.W.C.R. of Christchurch, also addressed the meeting, he proceedings boiog interspersed with

songs and glees by members of tbe Order, all of which were well rendered, and were evidently thoroughly well appeciatcd. Daring the evening a pleasing addition was made to the programme, the chairman introducing Sister Amos, who had been chosen to fill the high office of Vice Templar, We must not omit to mention that about 400 sat down to tea, the caterers being Messrs Amos and French, of Woolston, whose arrangements gave unqualified satisfaction.